Available in NASA Historical Reference Collection, History
Office, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC. Page references to
original document in brackets.

[Editorial headnote: In 1981, its first year in office, the
Reagan administration issued a National Security Decision Directive
(NSDD-8, November 13, 1981) that reiterated the central role of
the Space Transportation System in U.S. space activities. The
White House then initiated a comprehensive space policy review
under the direction of new Science Adviser George Keyworth II.
The results of that review were contained in NSDD-42, issued on
July 4, 1982. This directive replaced NSDD-8 and the three Carter
administration space policy statements, NSDD-37, 42, and 54. It
also established as the primary forum for space policy formulation
the National Security Council Senior Interagency Group (Space)--SIG
(Space)--chaired by the Assistant to the President for National
Security Affairs. SIG (Space) was the locus of policymaking throughout
the two terms that Ronald Reagan was President.]

[1] July 4, 1982

NATIONAL SECURITY DECISION DIRECTIVE NUMBER 42

NATIONAL SPACE POLICY

I. INTRODUCTION AND PRINCIPLES

This directive establishes national policy to guide the conduct
of United States space program and related activities; it supersedes
Presidential Directives 37, 42, and 54, as well as National Security
Decision Directive 8. This directive is consistent with and augments
the guidance contained in existing directives, executive orders,
and law. The decisions outlined in this directive provide the
broad framework and the basis for the commitments necessary for
the conduct of United States space programs.

The Space Shuttle is to be a major factor in the future evolution
of United States space programs. It will continue to foster cooperation
between the national security and civil efforts to ensure efficient
and effective use of national resources. Specifically, routine
use of the manned Space Shuttle will provide the opportunity to
understand better and evaluate the role of man in space, to increase
the utility of space programs, and to expand knowledge of the
space environment.

The basic goals of United States space policy are to: (a) strengthen
the security of the United States; (b) maintain United States
space leadership; (c) obtain economic and scientific benefits
through the exploitation of space; (d) expand United States private-sector
investment and involvement in civil space and space-related activities;
(e) promote international cooperative activities that are in the
national interest; and (f) cooperate with other nations in maintaining
the freedom of space for all activities that enhance the security
and welfare of mankind.

[2] The United States space program shall be conducted in accordance
with the following basic principles:

A. The United States is committed to the exploration and use of
outer space by all nations for peaceful purposes and for the benefit
of all mankind. [Sentence deleted during declassification review]

B. The United States rejects any claims to sovereignty by any
nation over outer space or celestial bodies, or any portion thereof,
and rejects any limitations on the fundamental right to acquire
data from space.

C. The United States considers the space systems of any nation
to be national property with the right of passage through the
operations in space without interference. Purposeful interference
with space systems shall be viewed as infringement upon sovereign
rights.

D. The United States encourages domestic commercial exploration
of space capabilities, technology, and systems for national economic
benefit. These activities must be consistent with national security
concerns, treaties, and international agreements.

E. The United States will conduct international cooperative space-related
activities that achieve sufficient scientific, political, economic,
or national security benefits for the nation.

F. [Paragraph deleted in declassification review]

G. The United States Space Transportation System (STS) is the
primary space launch system for both national security and civil
government missions. STS capabilities and capacities shall be
developed to meet appropriate national needs and shall be available
to authorized users -- domestic and foreign, commercial, and governmental.

[3] H. The United States will pursue activities in space in support
of its right of self-defense.

I. The United States will continue to study space arms control
options. The United States will consider verifiable and equitable
arms control measures that would ban or otherwise limit testing
and deployment of specific weapons systems should those measures
be compatible with United States national security. The United
States will oppose arms control concepts or legal regimes that
seek general prohibitions on the military or intelligence use
of space.

II. SPACE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

The Space Transportation System (STS) is composed of the Space
shuttle, associated upper stages, and related facilities. The
following policies shall govern the development and operation
of the STS:

A. The STS is a vital element of the United States space program
and is the primary space launch system for both United States
national security and civil government missions. The STS will
be afforded the degree of survivability and security protection
required for a critical national space resource.

B. The first priority of the STS program is to make the system
fully operational and cost-effective in providing routine access
to space.

C. The United States is fully committed to maintaining world leadership
in space transportation with an STS capacity sufficient to meet
appropriate national needs. The STS program requires sustained
commitments by all affected departments and agencies. The United
States will continue to develop the STS through the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration (NASA) in cooperation with the Department
of Defense (DoD). Enhancements of STS operational capability,
upper stages, and efficient methods of deploying and retrieving
payloads should be pursued as national requirements are defined.

D. United States Government spacecraft should be designed to take
advantage of the unique capabilities of the STS. The completion
of transition to the Shuttle should occur as expeditiously as
practical.

[4] E. [Paragraph deleted in declassification review]

F. Expandable launch vehicle operations shall be continued by
the United States Government until the capabilities of the STS
are sufficient to meet its needs and obligations. Unique national
security considerations may dictate developing special-purpose
launch capabilities.

G. For the near-term, the STS will continue to be managed and
operated in an institutional arrangement consistent with the current
NASA/DoD Memoranda of Understanding. Responsibility will remain
in NASA for operational control of the STS for civil missions
and in the DoD for operational control of the STS for national
security missions. Mission management is the responsibility of
the mission agency. As the STS operations mature, options will
be considered for possible transition to a different institutional
structure.

H. Major changes to STS program capabilities will require Presidential
approval.

III. CIVIL SPACE PROGRAM

The United States shall conduct civil space programs to expand
knowledge of the Earth, its environment, the solar system, and
the universe; to develop and promote selected civil applications
of space technology; to preserve the United States leadership
in critical aspects of space science, applications, and technology;
and to further United States domestic and foreign policy objectives.
Consistent with the National Aeronautics and Space Act, the following
policies shall govern the conduct of the civil space program.

A. Science, Applications, and Technology: United States Government
civil programs shall continue a balanced strategy of research,
development, operations, and exploration for science, applications,
and technology. The key objectives of these programs are to:

(1) Preserve the United States preeminence in critical major space
activities to enable continued exploitation and exploration of
space.

[5] (2) Conduct research and experimentation to expand understanding
of: (a) astrophysical phenomena and the origin and evolution of
the universe, through long-term astrophysical observation; (b)
the Earth, its environment, and its dynamic relation with the
Sun; (c) the origin and evolution of the solar system, through
solar, planetary, and lunar sciences and exploration; and (d)
the space environment and technology required to advance knowledge
in the biological sciences.

(4) Conduct appropriate research and experimentation in advanced
technology and systems to provide a basis for future civil space
applications.

B. Private Sector Participation: The United States Government
will provide a climate conducive to expanded private sector investment
and involvement in civil space activities, with due regard to
public safety and national security. Private sector space activities
will be authorized and supervised or regulated by the government
to the extent required by treaty and national security.

C. International Cooperation: United States cooperation in international
civil activities will:

(1) Support the public, nondiscriminatory direct readout of data
from Federal civil systems to foreign ground stations and provision
of data to foreign users under specified conditions.

(2) Continue cooperation with other nations by conducting joint
scientific and research programs that yield sufficient benefits
to the United States in areas such as access to foreign scientific
and technological expertise, and access to foreign research and
development facilities, and that serve other national goals. All
international space ventures must be consistent with United States
technology-transfer policy.

D. Civil Operational Remote Sensing: Management of Federal civil
operational remote sensing is the responsibility of the Department
of Commerce. The Department of Commerce will: (a) aggregate Federal
needs for civil operational remote sensing to be met by either
the private sector or the Federal government; (b) identify needed
civil operational system research and development objectives;
and (c) in coordination with other departments or agencies, provide
for regulation of private-sector operational remote sensing systems.

[6] [Page deleted in declassification review]

[7] [Page deleted in declassification review]

[8] [Paragraph deleted in declassification review]

(1) The fact that the United States conducts satellite photoreconnaissance
for peaceful purposes, including intelligence collection and the
monitoring of arms control agreements, is unclassified. The fact
that such photoreconnaissance includes a near-real-time capability
and is used to provide defense related information for indications
and warning is also unclassified. All other details, facts and
products concerning the national foreign intelligence space program
are subject to appropriate classification and security controls.

(2) [Paragraph deleted in declassification review]

VI. INTER-SECTOR RESPONSIBILITIES

[Paragraphs A-F deleted in declassification review]

[9] G. The United States Government will maintain and coordinate
separate national security and civil operational space systems
when differing needs of the sectors dictate.

VII. IMPLEMENTATION

Normal interagency coordinating mechanisms will be employed to
the maximum extent possible to implement the policies enunciated
in this directive. To provide a forum to all Federal agencies
for their policy views, to review and advise on proposed changes
to national space policy, and to provide for orderly and rapid
referral of space policy issues to the President for decisions
as necessary, a Senior Interagency Group (SIG) on Space shall
be established. The SIG (Space) will be chaired by the Assistant
to the President for National Security Affairs and will include
the Deputy or Under Secretary of State, Deputy or Under Secretary
of Defense, Deputy or Under Secretary of Commerce, Director of
Central Intelligence, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Director
of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, and the [10] Administrator
of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Representatives
of the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Science
and Technology Policy will be include as observers. Other agencies
or departments will participate based on the subjects to be addressed.